Frost Mage DPS Macros and Addons (WoW MoP 5.3)
Macros and addons are an integral part of a raider's arsenal as they can make it easier to perform a variety of tasks, improving your overall game experience. Below, we present macros and addons that can be useful to a Frost Mage (WoW MoP 5.3). On the right side, you will find links to the other parts of the guide.
This guide has been reviewed and approved by Blatty, one of the best Mages in the world, who raids in Method, the currently ranked #1 guild on WoWProgress. He has been contributing a lot to the community through his streams on Twitch and now works for Millenium, his new streaming platform.
1. Macros↑top
1.1. Generic Macros for Mages
1.1.1. Counterspell
- #showtooltip
- /stopcasting
- /cast [@focus,exists][@target] Counterspell
This macro casts
Counterspell at your focus, if you have one.
Otherwise, Counterspell is cast at your current target.
If you are using
Glyph of Counterspell, then you can remove
the /stopcasting from the macro.
1.1.2. Spellsteal
- #showtooltip
- /stopcasting
- /cast [@focus,exists][@target] Spellsteal
This macro for
Spellsteal works in the same way as the above macro for
Counterspell.
1.1.3. Blink
- #showtooltip
- /stopcasting
- /cast Blink
This macro will cancel your current spell cast and make you blink away. This saves you the trouble (and the time!) of interrupting your spell cast manually.
1.1.4. Ice Block
- #showtooltip
- /stopcasting
- /cancelaura Ice Block
- /cast Ice Block
This macro will cast
Ice Block. Using the macro again will cancel
the spell.
1.1.5. Slow Fall
- #showtooltip
- /cast [@mouseover,nodead,help][nodead,help][@player] Slow Fall
This macro for
Slow Fall is very useful. If you are hovering
over a party member (be it on the raid frames or on their actual character)
it will cast Slow Fall on them. Otherwise, it casts it on your target,
if it is friendly. If your target is not a friendly party
member, then the macro casts Slow Fall on you.
1.1.6. Polymorph
- #showtooltip Polymorph
- /clearfocus [modifier:alt]
- /focus [@focus,noexists]
- /cast [@focus,exists][@target,exists] Polymorph
- /y Casting Polymorph on %F
This macro casts
Polymorph on your focus or your current target.
The first time you use this macro, the focus is set on your current target
(if it is an enemy). Subsequent uses of the macro will keep casting
Polymorph on your focus, unless you press alt
(or whatever modifier you specify in the second line of the macro), in which
case, the macro will set the focus on your current target before casting
Polymorph on it.
To sum it up, use the macro to keep your assignment controlled and press alt while using the macro to cast Polymorph on a new enemy.
Note that this macro will slightly interfere with the
Counterspell and
Spellsteal macros given earlier. If you try to use one of these two macros,
it will result in the spell being cast on your sheeped target (which is your current
focus). In such cases, use a simpler macro for Counterspell and Spellsteal
that casts the spells at your current target.
1.2. Specific Macros for Frost Mages
1.2.1. Presence of Mind
- #showtooltip Frostbolt
- /script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
- /cast Presence of Mind
- /script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
- /script UIErrorsFrame:Show()
- /cast Frostbolt
Presence of Mind, if chosen as a Tier 1 talent, is a decent DPS cooldown.
The above macro should be used as your main way of casting
Frostbolt
so that every time you use it, it tries to
cast Presence of Mind. The UIErrorsFrame functions
are used to hide the error messages that would appear if Presence of Mind is on
cooldown; we also advise you to disable the error sounds from the Sound
options.
1.2.2. Icy Veins and Alter Time
- #showtooltip Icy Veins
- /cast Icy Veins
- /cast Alter Time
- /cast Frostbolt
This macro will cast
Icy Veins and
Alter Time, which are
off the global cooldown, before casting
Frostbolt.
Naturally, it is advised to add /use 13, /use 14 (for your on-use trinkets), and/or /use Potion of the Jade Serpent, as well as any other spell/item that grants you increased damage, before the /cast Icy Veins command.
1.2.3. Water Elemental: Freeze
- #showtooltip
- /cast Freeze
This macro will let you put the
Freeze ability of your Water Elemental on your cast bar.
- #showtooltip
- /cast Frostbolt
- /cast Freeze
Using a macro such as the one above will enable you to automatically make
use of
Freeze whenever it comes off cooldown. Remember that
Frostbolt does not consume the charges of
Fingers of Frost
that Freeze generates. Also, making your Water Elemental cast Freeze while you are
casting Frostbolt will have no incidence on your cast of Frostbolt.
2. Addons↑top
2.1. Generic Addons for Mages
2.1.1. ElvUI
Here, at Icy Veins, we use ElvUI for all our characters. This addon is a complete replacement of the default User Interface. It comes with almost everything you need to perform properly: action bars, cooldown timers, proc display, etc.
We strongly recommend that you get this addon.
2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
Boss mods are addons that warn you about boss abilities and give you live advice on how to handle some mechanics. We strongly recommend you to get one such addon. At Icy Veins, we mostly use Deadly Boss Mods, the most popular boss mod. A good alternative is Big Wigs.
2.1.3. Omen Threat Meter
Omen Threat Meter is the most popular addon for displaying the current threat levels on your target. We recommend you to use it to avoid taking aggro when the tank is still building up threat on an enemy.
2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
Parrot and Mik's Scrolling Battle Text are highly customisable addons for displaying floating battle text while in combat (incoming heals, damage of your spells, etc.). They both work very well by default.
2.1.5. Recount
Recount is a well known addon that most people use for displaying current DPS or HPS (Healing Per Second). We advise you to also use it for checking what you take damage from and if the share of damage/healing you do with each of your abilities is similar to that of other players of your class.
A lightweight alternative to Recount is Skada Damage Meter.
2.1.6. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)
ElvUI comes with decent raid frames. The only real reason for using Grid and GridClickSets is if you want to be able to decurse raid or party members by right clicking their frame in the raid of party frame. If you choose to go with Grid, then you might want to also use GridStatusRaidDebuff.
2.1.7. Extra Addons
While the aforementioned addons are enough to play decently, you might want to check out two other addons:
- Coolline Cooldowns is an addon that displays the remaining time on your cooldown in a very intuitive manner;
- Mage Nuggets provides various utilities that mages will find useful during combat.
2.2. Specific Addons for Frost Mages
Currently, we feel that there is no need for additional addons to play a Frost Mage to its full potential.
